Physical systems, examples of which include fluid systems of engines, are typically modeled to predict selected physical variables, such as mass flow rates, pressures, temperatures, and two-phase mixtures quality, for physical components of the systems. These physical system (e.g. fluid system) models preferably have to be integrated with other engine systems models, such as control systems, into one user-friendly software package. The physical components then have to send information to and receive information from upstream and downstream components, in both directions. Such a requirement for two-way connection between physical components applies to networks of any physical nature.
In order to model the physical systems, graphical computer modeling environments and tools are typically used. However, known graphical computer environments commonly used for control system modeling, such as Matlab® and Simulink® from The MathWorks, Inc., or MATRIXx™ or SystemBuild™ from National Instruments Corporation, only provide a one-way signal propagation between graphical components (e.g. blocks). Models created in such environments represent the computational structure (e.g. mathematical equations and their interconnections) rather than the modelled physical system. This one-way signal propagation is further provided through connection lines between blocks or through coupled signal routing blocks, such as so-called From/Goto blocks in Simulink® and SystemBuild™. In order to use a graphical computer environment with one-way signal propagation for modeling two-way signal propagation, e.g. physical connection between components, a user has to manually add ports and connection lines for backward connection for each pair of blocks. This proves to be time-consuming in addition to yielding complex graphical networks, which can become unmanageable for large physical systems.
Alternatively, special connection blocks and ports for two-way signal propagation, which are not part of the graphical modeling environment with one-way propagation, may be used to provide two-way signal propagation. This however increases the complexity of the modeling process in addition to requiring the use of additional software. Moreover, functionalities of physical connection other than two-way signal propagation, such as blocks' parameters exchange, signals management, and connection errors trapping, which are required for modeling of large and complex systems, are typically not provided by known graphical modeling tools.
There is therefore a need for an improved system and method for graphical modeling of physical systems.